Sr. Mary Sebastien (Jean) Schmidt was born on May 27, 1927 to Helen and Joseph Schmidt in Newport, Kentucky. She was the second of two children. She attended St. Stephen Elementary School and graduated from Notre Dame Academy in 1945. She entered the Sisters of Notre Dame in September of the same year, making her profession of vows on August 11, 1948.

In 1914 the Sisters were encouraged by the purchase of the Heck Farm. The next challenge was the acquisition of funds to construct St. Joseph Heights. World War years (1914-1918) strained communication with the Generalate in Germany. Divine Providence supplied Mr. John F. Cook.